Security by Scapegoat

As is common these days, I was complaining about something on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/sdarlington/status/1523588282986033152

It’s easy to complain about security practices which, if I’m honest, is why I do it. But there is an important point, one that I included in a follow-up tweet:

https://twitter.com/sdarlington/status/1523602044791115776?s=61&t=69wO28ER8NUpssCyeNkqJw

The security team in many companies models itself on the DUP. Say no to everything. But – and this is the key – offer no alternative.

The tweet above is about passwords but I see it everywhere. Another common one is transferring files. I understand why sharing files can be problematic. Confidential data can be exported, either deliberately or accidentally. Viruses can be imported. Security defects can be exploited.

So yes, blocking OneDrive or DropBox is part of the job. What is missing is a legitimate alternative.

Security teams should be enabling staff to safely perform their jobs. Instead, they block the insecure methods and stop.

If I need to share a file or remember a complex password and you don’t provide suitable tools, you did not prevent a security problem. You forced people to write their password on a PostIt note and stick it on their monitor. You pushed someone to use some dodgy new file sharing service that you haven’t heard of.

In the attempts to make the system more secure, you, best case, prevented someone from doing their job. Worst case, you pushed someone into doing something insecure.

In either case, you effectively delegated security to everyone else.